Wrestling with "The Law"

This coming Sunday is Week 3 of the Isaac-Ishmael class. The first two weeks have provided the foundation for talking about how Judaism and Islam converge and diverge from Christianity.
     On Sunday we will discuss LAW, specifically how we understand the purpose and function of the Old Testament Law, then what Jesus had to say about it (Matthew 5) and finally how the Apostle Paul saw it (see Romans 2, Galatians 2).
     I have been wrestling with all of this the past week, in large part because Judaism and Islam have both expanded, diluted, and changed their understanding of Law. In both traditions there are laws (plural), written commentary on law, and oral tradition around Law.
     Lest I be pointing fingers at only two of the three Monotheistic traditions, we who are Christians have strong tendencies to "live under the Law" as well. We add to it and define and describe ourselves by what we will NOT do. Sometimes I wish that Jesus had just said he came to ENFORCE the Law of the Old Testament. But he said he came to "fulfill it," and somehow he did not come as a Cosmic Cop but rather as Lion and Lamb.
     Still wrestling...